The Food Forest Flywheel, Leafcycle 2025, and Leaflets

The Food Forest Flywheel

The Food Forest Flywheel (FFF) is the culmination of nine years of hands-on experience at Braga Farms, applying permaculture and organic backyard homesteading practices in the heart of Irving, Texas. While a formal 'flywheel' wasn't the initial goal, our journey, coupled with Braga's background in Tech, Cloud & Success Management[LinkedIn] and the alarming loss of 60,000 farms in the last two years, led to its creation.

Below you'll find a detailed orientation of The FFF, our 2025 Leafcycle and targets, along with all the Leaflets and resources you could use to help put the next Seeds in the minds, hearts, and hands of your friends, family, neighbors and community at large. With enough of us taking action: Planting, Seeding, and Sharing there is nothing that can stop the individual grower and The People from taking control of our own food and re-culturing agriculture.

This isn't just a theoretical model; it's a living system, proven through five years of continuous refinement. The Literature and Blogs we share; particularly Propagation Nation and #GrowDFW, are quick and deep dives into the skills and knowledge you and your community will need. Even homestead security, matching Grants and Land opportunities, and much more. The FFF is built on the principle that urban landscapes can be transformed into thriving, self-sustaining food ecosystems through a continuous cycle of:

Planting & Sharing: We distribute seeds, cuttings (like our documented Luffa, sorrel, and cilantro shared over five years on "The Journey" tab and Instagram @bragafarmsdfw), and knowledge to empower individuals and communities to grow their own food.
Resources, Learning & Volunteers: We offer educational resources, workshops, and volunteer opportunities to build a strong community of growers.
The Call & Braga Farms Farms & Friends: We foster a network of "Farms & Friends" – local businesses and community hubs – to share resources and celebrate the abundance.
Markets & Events: We help to create vibrant markets and events to connect growers with consumers and showcase the power of local food systems.
Tech & Platforms: We leverage technology, including our apps (FigsForFriends.com, Gardeners of Eden, UrbanGardenParty.com) and AI, to connect growers, track progress, and optimize resource distribution.
Land & Consulting: We provide access to land and expert consulting services to support the development of urban farms and homesteads.

The Flywheel isn't static; it evolves with each 'Leafcycle' – our annual plan for growth and community engagement. Our 2025 Leafcycle, which we'll share next, is a testament to this evolution, incorporating lessons learned and expanding our network of 'Farms and Friends.' Visit and support them as they're truly the best BFFs one could have in the Metro.

To truly understand the Flywheel's potential, you must engage with it. You must 'choose your next Seed,' actively participate in the cycle of Growth, Sowing, and Sharing. Only then can you witness its transformative power.

Leafcycle 2025: A Year of Culture returns to Agriculture
The Year of 1 Million

Over the past nine years, Braga Farms has evolved from a backyard homesteading project into a dynamic urban agriculture movement. Our journey, documented extensively on Instagram, Facebook, and our website, has been about sharing knowledge, building community, and demonstrating the power of permaculture and organic practices. We've distributed countless seeds, cuttings, and resources, laying the groundwork for the 2025 Leafcycle.

Yearly Cycles

Winter & Spring Cycle (January - June):
- Focus: Seed starting, soil preparation, early planting, infrastructure development, and community building.
- 2025 Plan:
  - January (Laying Plans): Distribute 10,000 seed kits and cuttings, focusing on community workshops and education (Planting & Sharing, Resources, Learning).
  - February (Waging War): Organize pruning and propagation workshops, sharing 100,000 fruit tree cuttings (Planting & Sharing, Resources, Learning).
  - March (Attack by Stratagem): Host community planting days, aiming for 100,000 new fruit trees (Planting & Sharing, The Call & Braga Friends).
  - April (Tactical Dispositions): Launch educational campaigns on irrigation and composting, reaching 100,000 households (Resources, Learning, Tech & Platforms).
  - May (Energy): Organize garden tool maintenance workshops and seedling sharing events, engaging 100,000 participants (Resources, Learning, The Call & Braga Friends).
  - June (Weak Points and Strong): Conduct soil health assessments and distribute organic fertilizers, supporting 100,000 gardens (Tech & Platforms, Land & Consulting).
- Goal: Establish a strong foundation for the growing season, building community and knowledge.
- KPIs: Number of seed kits distributed, workshop attendance, new garden plots created, social media engagement, website traffic.
Summer & Fall Cycle (July - December):
- Focus: Harvest, pest management, crop rotation, community events, winter preparation, and reflection.
- 2025 Plan:
  - July (Maneuvering): Celebrate the harvest with community garden parties and cooking demonstrations, involving 100,000 people (Markets & Events, The Call & Braga Friends).
  - August (Variation in Tactics): Focus on pest control and weed management workshops, reaching 100,000 gardeners (Resources, Learning, Tech & Platforms).
  - September (The Army on the March): Organize farmers' market events and food drives, distributing excess produce to 100,000 families (Markets & Events, The Call & Braga Friends).
  - October (Terrain): Conduct soil tests and prepare gardens for winter, engaging 100,000 households (Tech & Platforms, Land & Consulting).
  - November (The Nine Situations): Host seed exchange events and adopt community gardens, reaching 100,000 participants (Planting & Sharing, The Call & Braga Friends).
  - December (The Attack by Fire & The Use of Spies): Organize winter gardening workshops and plan for the next year's growth, involving 100,000 people (Resources, Learning, Tech & Platforms).
- Goal: Maximize yield, preserve abundance, and prepare for the next growing season.
- KPIs: Harvest yield, food distributed, event participation, soil health improvement, social media engagement, website traffic.

Key Themes Across All Months:

Community Engagement: We'll continue to leverage social media to connect with our community, share resources, and document our journey.
Education and Knowledge Sharing: Our workshops, blog posts, and online resources will empower individuals to become successful growers.
Technology Integration: We'll utilize our apps and online platforms to streamline operations, track progress, and enhance communication.
Data-Driven Decision Making: We'll track KPIs and gather community feedback to continuously improve our programs.
Partnerships and Collaboration: We'll collaborate with local businesses, organizations, and government agencies to expand our reach and impact.

Monthly Cycles

Week 1 - Planting (Ops Cycle):
- Focus: Strategic planting, crop rotation, and garden maintenance.
- Activities: Distribute seedlings, conduct planting demonstrations, monitor garden health.
- KPIs: Number of seedlings planted, planting success rate, garden maintenance hours.
Week 2 - Urban Farm (Friends Cycle):
- Focus: Urban farm operations, community volunteering, and educational tours.
- Activities: Host volunteer days, conduct farm tours, showcase urban farming techniques.
- KPIs: Volunteer hours, tour attendance, educational content created.
Week 2 - Samuel Hunter's Farm 400 Acres of Activities (Community Cycle):
- Focus: Large scale farming techniques, and community building through large scale events.
- Activities: Host large scale events, conduct large scale farm tours, showcase large scale farming techniques.
- KPIs: Event attendance, tour attendance, educational content created.
Week 3 - Markets (Ops Cycle):
- Focus: Connecting growers with consumers, showcasing local produce, and building market presence.
- Activities: Organize farmers' markets, conduct cooking demonstrations, promote local products.
- KPIs: Market sales, vendor participation, customer satisfaction.
Week 3 - Homesteads in East Texas (Community Cycle):
- Focus: Community building in the east texas area, and teaching homesteading techniques.
- Activities: Host homesteading workshops, conduct homestead tours, showcase homesteading techniques.
- KPIs: Workshop attendance, tour attendance, educational content created.
Week 3 - Rafi's Ranch (Friends Cycle):
- Focus: Community building at the ranch, and teaching ranching techniques.
- Activities: Host ranching workshops, conduct ranch tours, showcase ranching techniques.
- KPIs: Workshop attendance, tour attendance, educational content created.
Week 4 - City (Ops Cycle):
- Focus: City-wide initiatives, partnerships with local businesses, and community outreach.
- Activities: Conduct city-wide planting events, collaborate with local restaurants, organize food drives.
- KPIs: City-wide participation, partnerships established, food distributed.
Week 4 - East Texas (Friends Cycle):
- Focus: Community building in the east texas area, and teaching east texas specific techniques.
- Activities: Host east texas workshops, conduct east texas tours, showcase east texas techniques.
- KPIs: Workshop attendance, tour attendance, educational content created.
Week 4 - Dallas Potluck and Karaoke (Community Cycle):
- Focus: Building community through social events.
- Activities: Host social events, conduct community building activities, showcase community spirit.
- KPIs: Event attendance, social media engagement, community feedback.

Weekly Cycles

Monday - Rest Planning:
- Focus: Planning for the week ahead, reviewing progress, and setting goals.
- Activities: Team meetings, strategy sessions, data analysis.
- KPIs: Completed planning tasks, team alignment, goal setting.
Tuesday - Weeding:
- Focus: Maintaining garden health, removing weeds, and preventing pests.
- Activities: Conduct weeding sessions, inspect plants, apply organic pest control.
- KPIs: Weeding hours, pest control effectiveness, garden health improvement.
Wednesday - Work Projects:
- Focus: Infrastructure development, garden maintenance, and special projects.
- Activities: Build raised beds, install irrigation systems, conduct garden repairs.
- KPIs: Project completion rate, infrastructure improvements, garden maintenance hours.
Thursday - Harvest:
- Focus: Harvesting ripe produce, preparing for markets, and preserving abundance.
- Activities: Conduct harvesting sessions, prepare produce for sale, can or dry excess produce.
- KPIs: Harvest yield, produce sold, food preserved.
Friday - Market Prep:
- Focus: Preparing for farmers' markets, organizing displays, and packaging produce.
- Activities: Set up market stalls, prepare product displays, package produce for sale.
- KPIs: Market readiness, product presentation, sales preparation.
Saturday - Farmers Market:
- Focus: Connecting with customers, selling produce, and promoting local food systems.
- Activities: Conduct market sales, provide product information, engage with customers.
- KPIs: Market sales, customer interactions, brand awareness.
Sunday - Farmers Market:
- Focus: Connecting with customers, selling produce, and promoting local food systems.
- Activities: Conduct market sales, provide product information, engage with customers.
- KPIs: Market sales, customer interactions, brand awareness.
Week 1 - Nurseries & Grocery:
- Focus: Connecting with local nurseries and grocery stores, and promoting local food systems.
- Activities: Conduct nursery visits, conduct grocery store visits, build relationships.
- KPIs: Nursery relationships, Grocery store relationships, brand awareness.

Below we have many of the popular leaflets we've shared through the years.
We ask that Sowers, particularly, familiarize themselves with the Leaflets and use them according to your needs in bringing food, fruit, and
The Food Forest our DFW metro and beyond.